Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park

Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park

Last updated - January 8, 2011

Tawas Point State Park is on the end of a sand spit on the northwest shore of Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, west across the bay from Michigan's "thumb" and near Tawas City and East Tawas.
This park is undoubtedly the best migrant trap in the Saginaw Bay area. Birding is best during times of rapid migration such as during strong south winds in spring and strong north winds in fall. The spring migrants tend to follow the lakeshore and actually migrate south for a time to the tip of the point, which faces southwest. Bad weather after a prolonged high pressure situation also tends to ground many migrants in the park. Soon after these conditions subside, the spring migrants slowly work their way northward out of the park. Equally impressive migrations occur in the fall. North and westerly winds push passerine migrants south and to the east edge of the Michigan land mass, respectively. Late August and September are the best for the majority of passerines. The stronger flying water birds and sparrows are seen in large numbers later in the fall (October and early November) especially during periods of strong north and east winds which force them south and towards the shoreline. [excerpted, with permission, from Birds and Bird Finding in the Saginaw Bay Area (1995), by Ron J. Weeks]
The Tawas Point Birding Festival, a three-day event, is held each year in mid May at Tawas Point State Park. The festival includes seminars and field trips to birding sites in the Tawas Point area.
This birding site and its location are described further at the bottom of this document.

Checklist of the Birds of Tawas Point State Park

No claim is made that this is an "official" checklist, but it can be considered a reliable guide to the birds that may be found at Tawas Point State Park.

English Name Scientific Name

DUCKS, GEESE, and SWANS Anatidae

Snow Goose Chen caerulescens

Canada Goose Branta canadensis

Brant [Casual] Branta bernicla

Mute Swan Cygnus olor

Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator

Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus

Wood Duck Aix sponsa

Gadwall Anas strepera

American Wigeon Anas americana

American Black Duck Anas rubripes

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Blue-winged Teal Anas discors

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

Northern Pintail Anas acuta

Green-winged Teal Anas crecca

Canvasback Aythya valisineria

Redhead Aythya americana

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

Greater Scaup Aythya marila

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis

Harlequin Duck¹ Histrionicus histrionicus

Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata

White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca

Black Scoter Melanitta americana

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula

Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus

Common Merganser Mergus merganser

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

PARTRIDGES, GROUSE, TURKEYS, and OLD WORLD QUAIL Phasianidae

Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus

Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo

NEW WORLD QUAIL Odontophoridae

----- -----

LOONS Gaviidae

Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata

Common Loon Gavia immer

GREBES Podicipedidae

Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena

BOOBIES and GANNETS Sulidae

----- -----

PELICANS Pelecanidae

American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

CORMORANTS Phalacrocoracidae

Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

BITTERNS, HERONS, and ALLIES Ardeidae

American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus

Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias

Great Egret Ardea alba

Snowy Egret Egretta thula

Tricolored Heron [Casual] Egretta tricolor

Green Heron Butorides virescens

Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

IBISES and SPOONBILLS Threskiornithidae

----- -----

NEW WORLD VULTURES Cathartidae

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

KITES, HAWKS, EAGLES, and ALLIES Accipitridae

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus

Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus

Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii

Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus

Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

CARACARAS and FALCONS Falconidae

American Kestrel Falco sparverius

Merlin Falco columbarius

Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

RAILS, GALLINULES, and COOTS Rallidae

Virginia Rail Rallus limicola

Sora Porzana carolina

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

American Coot Fulica americana

CRANES Gruidae

Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis

PLOVERS and LAPWINGS Charadriidae

Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola

American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica

Wilson's Plover [Accidental] Charadrius wilsonia

Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

STILTS and AVOCETS Recurvirostridae

American Avocet Recurvirostra americana

SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES, and ALLIES Scolopacidae

Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius

Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca

Willet Tringa semipalmata

Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes

Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica

Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Red Knot Calidris canutus

Sanderling Calidris alba

Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla

Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri

Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla

White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis

Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos

Dunlin Calidris alpina

Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis

Ruff [Casual] Philomachus pugnax

Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus

Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus

Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata

American Woodcock Scolopax minor

Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus

Red Phalarope [Casual] Phalaropus fulicarius

GULLS, TERNS, and SKIMMERS Laridae

Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Black-headed Gull [Accidental] Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus

Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla

Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan

Mew Gull [Accidental] Larus canus

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

Herring Gull Larus argentatus

Thayer's Gull Larus thayeri

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus

Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

Least Tern [Casual] Sternula antillarum

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia

Black Tern Chlidonias niger

Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri

SKUAS and JAEGERS Stercorariidae

jaeger species Stercorarius ---

PIGEONS and DOVES Columbidae

Rock Pigeon Columba livia

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

CUCKOOS, ROADRUNNERS, and ANIS Cuculidae

Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus

Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus

BARN OWLS Tytonidae

Barn Owl [Accidental] Tyto alba

TYPICAL OWLS Strigidae

Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio

Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus

Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus

Barred Owl Strix varia

Long-eared Owl Asio otus

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus

GOATSUCKERS Caprimulgidae

Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor

Eastern Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus

SWIFTS Apodidae

White-collared Swift [Accidental] Streptoprocne zonaris

Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica

HUMMINGBIRDS Trochilidae

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

KINGFISHERS Alcedinidae

Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

WOODPECKERS and ALLIES Picidae

Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius

Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Tyrannidae

Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi

Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris

Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens

Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum

Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii

Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Say's Phoebe [Casual] Sayornis saya

Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus

Couch's Kingbird² [Accidental] Tyrannus couchii

Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis

Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher³ [Casual] Tyrannus forficatus

SHRIKES Laniidae

Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus

Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor

VIREOS Vireonidae

White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus

Bell's Vireo [Casual] Vireo bellii

Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons

Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius

Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus

Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

JAYS, MAGPIES, and CROWS Corvidae

Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

Common Raven Corvus corax

LARKS Alaudidae

Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris

SWALLOWS Hirundinidae

Purple Martin Progne subis

Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Bank Swallow Riparia riparia

Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

CHICKADEES and TITMICE Paridae

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus

Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor

NUTHATCHES Sittidae

Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

CREEPERS Certhiidae

Brown Creeper Certhia americana

WRENS Troglodytidae

Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus

House Wren Troglodytes aedon

Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis

Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis

Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris

KINGLETS Regulidae

Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

OLD WORLD WARBLERS and GNATCATCHERS Sylviidae

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

THRUSHES Turdidae

Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis

Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi

Veery Catharus fuscescens

Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus

Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus

Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus

Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina

American Robin Turdus migratorius

MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS, and ALLIES Mimidae

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

STARLINGS and ALLIES Sturnidae

European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

WAGTAILS and PIPITS Motacillidae

American Pipit Anthus rubescens

WAXWINGS Bombycillidae

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

LONGSPURS and ALLIES Calcaridae

Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

WOOD-WARBLERS Parulidae

Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus

Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera

Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina

Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata

Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla

Northern Parula Parula americana

Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia

Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica

Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia

Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina

Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens

Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata

Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens

Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca

Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica

Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus

Kirtland's Warbler Dendroica kirtlandii

Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor

Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum

Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea

Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata

Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea

Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia

American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla

Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea

Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum

Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla

Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis

Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla

Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis

Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina

Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla

Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis

Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens

TANAGERS Thraupidae

Summer Tanager Piranga rubra

Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea

Western Tanager [Casual] Piranga ludoviciana

NEW WORLD SPARROWS and ALLIES Emberizidae

Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus

American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida

Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla

Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus

Lark Sparrow [Casual] Chondestes grammacus

Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis

Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum

Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii

Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii

Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii

Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

Harris's Sparrow Zonotrichia querula

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis

CARDINALS and ALLIES Cardinalidae

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus

Blue Grosbeak [Casual] Passerina caerulea

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea

Dickcissel Spiza americana

BLACKBIRDS and ALLIES Icteridae

Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus

Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna

Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta

Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus

Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus

Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula

Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater

Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius

Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula

FINCHES and ALLIES Fringillidae

Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator

Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus

House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus

Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea

Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni

Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus

American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

OLD WORLD SPARROWS Passeridae

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

TOTAL SPECIES COUNT FOR TAWAS POINT STATE PARK: 298
The above species count is for all birds in the list, including species listed below.
¹Harlequin Duck - G. T. Moulthrop; November 1958 or 1959 // The following is from Ron Weeks: Gene Kenaga's book (1983) on the Saginaw Bay area says that the Harlequin record is from the unpublished records of G. T. Moulthrop for "first week in Nov 1958 or 1959 Tawas Pt." The sighting may have been at the fishing area just north of the park. It is not possible to say that the sighting was from the park proper as records are designated only "Tawas Pt" in Kenaga's book. Further, Tawas Point State Park may not even have been established in the late 1950s.
²Couch's Kingbird - Sight and voice record, May 27, 2007.
³Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Myrtle & Elmer Wilke, et al. (Midland Nature Club field trip); May 19, 1984 (Weeks 1995). This record is undocumented and so is not accepted by the MBRC.
MBRC Review List species are in blue. top

List Contributors

This checklist has been constructed using input from a number of birders who have been among the most frequent and regular visitors to Tawas Point State Park but largely from a list that Ron Weeks emailed to me. I have also used a printed checklist from Tawas Point State Park (copyright Ron Weeks), compiled in November 1997. (Gary Nelkie may be maintaining a current version of that same list.) The Michigan Bird Records Committee, too, has contributed to and reviewed this list. If you have a species in your Tawas Point State Park list that is not in the above checklist, you are invited to submit it for inclusion.

Location

The Tawas Point State Park is located just over an hour's drive north of the Saginaw-Midland-Bay City tri-cities area and less than three hours from the Detroit area. It is at the extreme northwest corner of Saginaw Bay.

Directions and Maps

Location, directions, and site maps

Description

The following description was excerpted, with permission, from the section on Tawas Point State Park in A Birder's Guide to Michigan (2004), by Allen T. Chartier and Jerry Ziarno.

Tawas Point State Park is one of the the premier birding spots in the Midwest, with more than 290 species recorded. A sandy cape, sometimes referred to as "Michigan's Cape Cod," hooks south and slightly west into Saginaw Bay. The point is an exciting migrant trap in the spring, but can also be very productive through the summer and into autumn. The park consists of 200 acres, with over 200 excellent campsites and long, sandy beaches on both sides of the point. Trails lead from the parking area out to the end of the point and past a lighthouse which is usually open for tours. In early spring and late fall, large numbers of diving ducks ... [are present] in the open waters of Saginaw Bay. A variety of shorebirds may be seen feeding on the vast areas of sand beach, with good numbers arriving in mid-May and remaining through the end of the month and into early June. Fall migrants may arrive early in July, with stragglers lingering to November. ...
Tawas Point is best known for the major fallouts of passerines which occur during migration, generally when weather fronts move through the area in spring. The best time to witness such an event is usually during the period of May 15-25. The trees on the exposed point are not very tall, enabling good views of the many species of passerines that can be present. It is not unusual to observe as many as 24 species of warblers in a single day. ...
Excellent spots for viewing passerines, especially warblers, during a fallout are the scrub pines immediately to the south of the lighthouse, the brushy areas to the right (west) of the main trail about halfway down to the tip, and the scrubby trees at the point itself. Another dependable warbler hotspot is the area between the lighthouse and the campground. Because of Tawas Point's location, there is always the possibility of true rarities. ...

In addition to the Chartier and Ziarno book, see the book by Ron Weeks, Birds and Bird Finding in the Saginaw Bay Area (1995). Also see Joe Soehnel's Saginaw Bay Birding web site.

Access

Tawas Point State Park is open for birding year round. A Michigan State Park Motor Vehicle Permit is required for entry. You may purchase an annual permit ($24, or $6 for seniors 65+) or day permit ($6) as you enter the park. Permits are good at all Michigan state parks and recreation areas.

There is good parking east of the lighthouse and nearby restrooms in a building near the parking lots. At times you may find the gift shop open and the lighthouse open for tours.

There is a large campground area at the north end of the park. The campground is always open, and if the gate to the main part of the park is closed when you get there, you can always park where the garbage dumpsters are located just opposite the campground entrance and walk in from there.

The gate for automobile access to the day use area and lighthouse is open year round and 24 hours per day except from May to September. During those months the gate is closed at 10:00pm and opened at 8:00am.

The entire park is open for walking, but some sections of the beaches (marked) are off limits in spring and summer months as Piping Plovers have several times attempted nesting here.

If you have any questions regarding the State Park, you can call (989) 362-5041 or contact the Manager, Chuck Allen, at allence(AT)michigan.gov.

Bruce M. Bowman, 2150 Spruceway Ln., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 / (734) 994-5398

Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park top home

created by / comments to: Bruce M. Bowman bbowman99@comcast.net

created: August 11, 2005
last modified: January 8, 2011

This page has been visited times since August 11, 2005.

URL: http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/michigan/tawas_pt.html